Teen's Story Goes Global Thanks to Outback Writers' Group

When teenager Jasmine Harvey received a WhatsApp message saying she would soon be an internationally published author, she thought it was a scam.

\"I was midway through my walk and I got a notification, my music paused … it was really just a shock.\"

The 14-year-old from Mount Isa in Queensland's outback was one of 11 winners in an international writing competition where the prize was every writer's dream — to become a published author.

Jasmine Harvey's short story was one of 11 winners in an international writing competition. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

\"I don't think it has sunk in yet; it's still sort of a fever dream,\" she said.

Jasmine said she has always been an enthusiastic reader but only dabbled in creative writing.

So when the Mount Isa Library launched its Young Writers Group last year, she signed up.

\"I didn't think anyone else would be into writing,\" Jasmine said.

\" It was just relieving to know there were other people who were like me. \"

'Safe space to connect'

The city's Young Writers Group is a fortnightly workshop for people aged 14 to 21.

Facilitator Kaitlin Ryan started the program at the beginning of 2024 after noticing the library was not attracting many teenagers and young adults.

Kaitlin Ryan started the group to attract teenagers and young adults to the library. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

\"At the start, we didn't think we'd get anyone coming in for the sessions,\" Ms Ryan said.

\" It was very much a niche interest, especially in Mount Isa. \"

Eighteen months later, up to a dozen young people turn up at every session.

Group members have become close over the past 18 months. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

Ms Ryan said it had been such a success that another group for even younger writers, aged nine to 12, had been launched.

\"It gives them a safe space to connect with other young people, to share the same goals and interests,\" she said.

\"And it's a skill they can take far into their lives, not just as a hobby.\"

Therapeutic value

That has been the experience for 14-year-old Rory Jones, who joined the group last year after a friend roped him into it.

He said the social aspects of the sessions had benefits beyond developing and honing writing skills.

Rory Jones enjoys writing comedy the most. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

\"It's kind of like therapy,\" Rory said.

\" It can help get things off their chest that they couldn't say to people in person. \"

In a town centred around mining and engineering and sports-based recreational activities, the group has been a much-appreciated creative outlet for Riley Casey.

At 18, she is one of the older members of the group.

She said she enjoyed mentoring fellow writers in a city where the arts remained \"a bit of a niche\".

Riley Casey enjoys mentoring younger writers. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

\"There's not too much out here,\" Ms Casey said.

\" That's why I felt it was really important to reach out to the writers' group and just start showing up. \"

But as a young and hopeful writer in a remote part of the country, she was unsure what the future held for creative people her age.

\"I do feel slightly stuck because of the cost-of-living crisis; everything's quite expensive,\" she said.

\"How can you make a living as an artist?\"

Finding opportunities online

Jasmine Harvey credited the support and guidance she received from the writing group with getting her short, dystopian story The Keeper published.

\"When I started, I wasn't ready to share anything at all that I had written, but then I could slowly share stuff with other people, I could get feedback,\" she said.

The Once Upon In Our Minds competition was founded in 2022 by a fellow writer, 11-year-old Ridhhaan Jaiin.

Jasmine, determined to get her work to a wider audience, found the competition while researching opportunities for young writers online.

Jasmine Harvey says the writing group helped her get selected. (ABC North West Qld: Maddie Nixon)

Aspiring writers aged five to 16 from across the globe submit their short stories according to three age categories.

The winning works are published in a collection available for purchase online.

Jasmine's 2,500-word story features alongside the winning collection of 11 short stories, in the competition's third iteration.

Competition organisers said her story stood out for its originality and emotional resonance, securing her a well-deserved spot among the winners.

Each day, the teenager eagerly awaits the delivery of a physical copy of her first published work.

\"I haven't had a copy in my hands yet; it's still sort of surprising,\" she said.